Arch support



A. A. PAGE ARCH SUPPORT Aug. 28, 1934.

Filed June 10, 1931 INVENTOR. am, 0 p

A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 28, 1934 ARCH SUPPORT Arthur A. Page,-;Racine, Wis., "assignorto Racine 'Shoe Mfg. '00., Racine, Wisconsin Wis., a corporation of Appiication June 10, 1931, Se'rial No. 543,403 3 Claims. (01. 36-76) This invention relates arch supports. i l-leretoforenumerousdevices have' been utilined in corrective shoes to furnish support for thearch of the foot. These devices have, how ever, been generally of one pie'ce construction and have been formed of relatively rigid metal shaped to conform to the arch of the shoe. In order to stand up under the weight to which they are subjected, desired flexibility has necessarily been sacrificed. It is also desirable to have a longer support at the heel of the foot than is furnishedby the usual heel portion of the shoe to prevent dropping of the astragalus and scaphoid bones and breaking down of the shoe at this point. This has, in numerous instances, been taken care of by lengthening the usual heel of the shoe, but such a construction necessarily results in footwear of impaired appearance.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of this invention to provide an improved arch support which serves the dual function of lengthening the support at the heel of the. foot without impairing the appearance of the shoe and of effectively supporting the metatarsal arch by a strong and yet flexible construction. 1

A further object of this invention is to provide an arch support formed of two cooperating sections having provision for relative sliding movement in a longitudinal direction to provide the desired flexibility. v 1

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved arch support which is effective particularly at the outside of the shoe where the greatest strain is present, and which is well adapted to prevent breaking down and gaping of the shoe with the resulting loss of support and impaired appearance.

A further object of this invention is to provide i an arch support which is readily adjustable for use in shoes of varying lengths.

A further object of this invention is to provide an arch support which may be reversed in posi tion to furnish support of two degrees of rigidity.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved arch support which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of the improved arch support and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

to improvements in Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe showing a foot positioned therein and alsobringing out the various bones of the foot;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal "sectional View of theshoe embodying the improved arch support, part being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a shoe showing the improved support therein, the heel and aportion of the sole being broken away; i

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a modified form of construction; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the improved support is positioned between the outer sole 8 and the inner sole 9 of the shoe in the usual manner. The said support comprises an arch portion or plate 10 which is curved to conform to the shape of the shank portion of the shoe. Said portion 10 is provided with a widened outer end 11 and with a narrowed inner end portion 12.

A heel portion or plate 13 is positioned so that the major portion of its length is over the usual heel of the shoe and so that a minor portion projects forwardly beyond the front edge of the heel 0 as at 14. Said member 13 is preferably straight, and it is preferred to construct both the members 13 and 10 of relatively rigid metal which is nevertheless capable of yielding somewhat during walking.

The heel portion has extending inwardly from the inner edge thereof an offset 15 which is of less width than the heel portion and which terminates short of the end as at 16. Said offset is also preferably on the outer side of the heel portion 13. If desired, in order to provide a flush surface, a section of rubber or fibrous material 17 which is cut out to fit around the offset portion may be utilized to provide a flush surface. d, In Fig. 4 the heel portion 13 instead of having 95 the offset in the form of a depression as in Fig.

3, has said offset raised and the inner end of the arch portion 10 is slidable in the offset below the heel portion instead of above as in Fig. 3.

It is to be noted that the inner end of the 1 arch portion 10 is of substantially the same width as the offset so that it is effectively guided therein and prevented from lateral movement.

In use the extension 14 of the heel portion will serve to lengthen the support beneath the heel m5 of the foot and will prevent dropping of the front portion of the oscalsis or heel bone 18 illustrated in Fig. 1 and dropping of theastragalus 19 and scaphoid bones 20. The arch portion will effectively support the metatarsal arch, and 0 due to the freedom to slide with respect to the heel portion in the offset thereof, flexibility will be provided while walking. It is also to be noted that due to the slidable and two-piece construction that the arch support is capable of use in shoes of varied lengths. The arch portion is shaped. to fit along the outside of the shoe and the offset in the heel portion is also formed on the outside to hold the arch portion in this position. Thus the support is furnished where it is most necessary to prevent breaking down of the arch of the foot and breaking down of the shoe.

When the oifset 15 is in the form of a depression as in Fig. 3 there is a somewhat less rigid construction than when it is in the form of a raised area as in Fig. 4 with the inner end of the arch portion therebelow. Thus two degrees of rigidity are provided and the particular arrangement may be selected to suit the particular requirement.

It is obvious that other changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is: 1. In a shoe, an arch support comprising a heel portion having an offset area formed therein .which extends inwardly from a side edge and terminates intermediate the Width of the heel portion and which extends rearwardly from the front edge, and an arch portion having a narrowed inner end of substantially the same width as the offset of the heel portion positioned in said offset for slidable movement.

2. In a shoe, an arch support comprising a heel portion having an offset area formed therein which extends rearwardly from the front edge, the oifset being positioned substantially off center with respect to the width of the heel portion, and an arch portion having an inner end of substantially the same width as the offset of the heel portion positioned in said offset for slidable movement.

3. In a shoe, an arch support comprising a heel portion having a guiding portion positioned substantially off center with respect to the Width of the heel portion, and an arch portion having an inner end engageable with said guiding portion for slidable movement to furnish yielding support near one side of the shoe.

ARTHUR A. PAGE. 

